When you come to Brussels, Belgium, one of the attractions you must stop by is the Saint-Michel Cathedral.

It’s not as big as the cathedrals in other cities, but it’s worth a visit for the unique and serene atmosphere of its appearance, interior, and stained glass.

Another attraction is that it is very close to Brussels Central Station, making it easy to incorporate into your sightseeing route.

Now let me introduce the Cathedral of Saint-Michel.

Cathédrale des Sts Michel et Gudule, Bruxelles

Practical information

Cathédrale des Sts Michel et Gudule, Bruxelles

address： Place Sainte-Gudule, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium

Open： Monday-Friday 07: 00-18: 00 Saturday 08: 00-17: 00 Sunday 13: 00-18: 00

History and Features

It was built in the first half of the 9th century as a chapel for St. Michael.

In the eleventh century, it became a Romanesque church, and then the relics of St. Gudula were brought to it, and it became the church of St. Michael and St. Gudula.

In the first half of the 13th century, the construction of the cathedral began at the request of Henry I, Duke of Brabant.

It took about 300 years to complete the cathedral.

In February 1962, it was granted the status of a cathedral.

The present cathedral, a Gothic, Brabançon style building, was begun by a choir in 1226.

The ornaments of the cathedral, which are works of art, date from

• Stained glass window (16th century)
• Confession (16th century)
• Pulpit (17th century)
• Carillon (1975)

In addition, the full-scale restoration of the cathedral took place between 1983 and November 1999.

Source:　History of Cathédrale des Sts Michel et Gudule　

Exterior

The exterior is 64 meters high and has a solid appearance.

If you get too close, it won’t fit in the photo.

Each one is made with great care.

The depth will be 114 meters.

Interior

The arches on the ceiling are also simple, but very beautiful.

Each pillar has a statue of one of the twelve apostles.

As I sat in a chair and looked around, I felt very sacred.

The beautiful sound of the pipe organ is said to be one of the most beautiful in comparison to other churches.

The stained glass, said to have been made in the 16th century, becomes even more beautiful when the sunlight shines on it.

It’s well worth coming just to see the beautiful stained glass windows.

Summary

There are a variety of churches in Europe, including very large churches, churches with beautiful stained glass, and cathedrals that many people visit.

Among them, I think the Cathedral of Saint-Michel in Brussels is a very interesting church in every way.

Compared to the famous churches in France and Germany, it is relatively empty, so you can enjoy it quietly and slowly.

It will also be a memorable sight to end your visit to Brussels.

Thank you again for reading to the end of this article.

The Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Brussels, Belgium consists of three museums: the Old Masters, the Marguerite Museum, and the Museum of the Fin de Siècle.

The Old Masters, in particular, is said to have the best collection of Rubens’ works in the world.

They are all wonderful works of art, and I think this is a spot that you should not miss when sightseeing in Brussels.

It takes a long time to visit all the museums, so please be careful when planning your sightseeing route.

Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique

Practical information

Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique

address： Rue de la Régence 3, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium

Open： Tuesday-Friday 10: 00-17: 00 Saturday-Sunday 11: 00-18: 00

Closed： Monday (January 1, 2nd Thursday of January, May 1, November 1, November 11, December 25)

Time change date： December 24th-December 31st (closed at 14:00)

ADMISSION

Thalys users can enter at a discounted price.

Just present your Thalys ticket when you purchase your ticket.

This time we only saw the Old Masters, but if you want to see the Marguerite Museum as well, you should buy a set of tickets to save money.

Time required

It’s just the Old Masters, but it’s a good size as far as space goes.

It’s also surprisingly empty, so it’s very suitable for a leisurely viewing.

If you just want to see the whole thing, about an hour is enough, but since there are so many spectacular works, I think it would be best to watch at least two hours.

If you want to visit all the museums, you should have about 2 to 3 hours.

Features of the Royal Museums of Belgium　

The Royal Museums of Belgium consists of several museums.

As I mentioned in the ticket section, the main museums are the Old Masters, the Marguerite Museum, and the Museum of the Fin de Siècle.

If you have time, it is best to visit all the museums, but if you have limited time, you will have to focus on one of them.

Musée Oldmasters Museum

Founded by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1801.

The composition of the museum consists of works by painters from the former Southern Netherlands.

Works from the 15th to 18th centuries are on display.

It is also famous for the large works of Rubens on display.

The Musée Magritte Museum　

The largest collection of works by René Marguerite in the world is on display.

The works on display are constantly being replaced with new ones, thanks to the cooperation of museums and private collectors around the world.

It is also very popular as a museum that you can visit many times and never get bored.

These works are representative of surrealism, so for those who are interested, this is a museum not to be missed.

Musée Fin-de-Siècle Museum　

This is a new museum built in 2013.

Art Nouveau works from the end of the 19th century are on display.

Works by famous artists such as Fernand Khnopff, Pierre Bonnard, James Ensor, Van Gogh and Gauguin are also on display.

Recommended by Musée Oldmasters Museum

Pieter Paul Rubens

Rubens is said to have had the greatest influence on the Baroque style.

His deep knowledge of Christianity and classical literature can be seen in his works.

His workshop in Antwerp received a large number of orders from aristocrats all over Europe.

His works are displayed in museums all over the world, but among them, the Old Masters in Brussels is said to be the museum where Rubens’ masterpieces are all in one place.

Le martyre de saint Liévin

This painting depicts the scene of the martyrdom of the Christian saint Liévin.

It is quite a cruel scene, but St. Liévin with his spear is captured by bandits and his tongue is pulled out.

And then there is the situation where the tongue is fed to the dog.

L’assomption de la Vierge

This is the scene of the Virgin Mary being lifted up to heaven with her body and soul.

The twelve apostles open the coffin and the Virgin Mary is facing heaven.

Le couronnement de la Vierge

It depicts the Virgin Mary sitting on the moon, Jesus on her left, the Lord on the earth, and a dove representing the spirits, giving laurels.

This is how you can enjoy the museum in a relaxed atmosphere.

It’s an atmosphere you won’t find in other museums, so be sure to stop by.

Joos II de Momper

La tour de Babel

Speaking of the Tower of Babel, Bruegel’s Tower of Babel is famous, but this work was also quite impressive.

Summary

There are many more works that I would recommend, so if you are interested in more, do some research and learn more about them beforehand so you can enjoy them even more.

It is close to Brussels Central Station, and there are many tourist attractions around, so please stop by when you are in Brussels.

Thank you again for reading to the end of this article.

If you go to Brussels, Belgium, you must eat chocolate and waffles.

These are two things you can’t miss.

And since you’ve come all the way to Brussels, you’ll want to eat at a famous and popular restaurant.

So here are two of the most popular restaurants in Brussels.

Maison Dandoy　

Basic information

Maison Dandoy – Tea Room & Waffles

address： Rue Charles Buls 14, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium

Open： Monday-Saturday 9: 30-22: 00 Sunday 10: 30-22: 00

Tea Room ：11:00-18:00

Three stores, including the main store, have opened in Brussels.

This time, we visited the second store, which is the easiest place to stop by during sightseeing.

It is located on the way from Grand-Place to see the pissing boy, so it is an efficient way to see the sights.

There is also a tea room on the second floor, so you can eat inside.

Please note that the tea room opening hours are different from the store opening hours.

The other two stores are listed below.

If you have time, please stop by.

Maison Dandoy – Grand-Place

address： Rue au Beurre 31, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium

Open： Monday-Saturday 9: 30-22: 00 Sunday 10: 30-22: 00

Maison Dandoy – Galeries

address： Galerie du Roi 2, 1000 Brussel, Belgium

Open： Monday-Sunday 10: 00-21: 00

History

Founded in Brussels in 1829.

It looks like it started out as a bakery.

It is famous for its delicious waffles, but it is originally a baked goods store that is said to be the oldest in Brussels.

In particular, the baked goods called speculoos are cookies with vanilla and cinnamon flavoring, and are popular as gifts.

These cookies have long been popular with the royal family.

What’s more, the recipe is also available.

If you are interested, please check it out.

Dandoy speculoos

Of course, the waffles are also very good.

There are two types of Belgian waffles, Brussels-style and Liege-style, each with the following characteristics.

• Brussels style: simple, light texture. The shape is a square rectangle. The main body itself is light in flavor, so it is ideal for topping with chocolate, ice cream or fruit. Recommended for those who don’t like sweet things.
• Liège style: The body itself has a strong flavor. The shape is round. If you want to enjoy the taste of the dough itself, I recommend eating it as is. Toppings are also possible, but they will be quite sweet.

Review

We arrived in the morning of the day.

It was just after opening time, so the store was empty.

The store is built in a high-class style, so you can easily recognize it when you are in the neighborhood.

Cookies are lined up.

The space is not that big, but the variety makes it a bit confusing.

In the kitchen, waffles are being made.

When you order, they will make it.

I wonder what the waffles on the table were.

Here’s what the menu looks like.

There is pressure from the people behind you in line, so you can’t be too sure about which one to choose.

And after much hesitation, I ordered this one.

It was early and the tea room hadn’t opened yet, so we had it outside.

Brussels style with chocolate sauce.

The waffle was light and the chocolate was delicious.

As it was cold outside, the warm chocolate was very tasty.

However, it was different from the waffle I had imagined.

Personally, I like it, but you may have different tastes.

Aux Gaufres De Bruxelles

Basic information

address： Rue du Marché Aux Herbes 113, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium

Open：7:30-23:30

It’s a busy place, so many people gather here.

You can also order from outside the store.

I’m sure you’ll find the store soon.

Review

You can eat in the restaurant.

However, it’s not only waffles, but also salads, meat, and other meals, so it’s always crowded.

A slightly more lively menu.

I ordered a Liege-style waffle and, for some reason, a crepe.

I was going to ask for a Brussels style waffle, but since I ate at Dandoy, I was confused and ended up ordering a crepe.

To be honest, the taste was ordinary.

The Liège-style waffles were not what I had imagined, and I didn’t feel like I really had to have them here.

The image of the restaurant might be a bit like a family restaurant.

The overall service at the restaurant is also a bit more.

This may be because the location is good anyway, so customers come in.

However, the appearance of the store gives you the feeling that you’re in Brussels, so I think it’s a good idea to stop by.

Summary

How was it?

The stores have completely different atmospheres, but I think it’s good that they each have their own characteristics.

Personally, I would still recommend Dandoy.

The history of the store makes it a great place to visit, and the cookies as well as the waffles are very attractive, so from a sweets point of view, Dandoy is the place to go.

In addition, there are many waffle stores in the city, so it may be fun to compare different kinds of waffles.

However, to be honest, my expectations for waffles, not just the two I mentioned, were probably too high.

On TV and the Internet, people say that the real Belgian waffles are very tasty, so maybe my expectations were too high.

However, if I ever visit Brussels again, I would still like to try the waffles.

Thank you again for reading to the end of this article.